You started your business to control your financial destiny. But
what do you do when you're blindsided by a crisis that
threatens your company's very survival? Do you know people you
can call at 2 a.m. who would be willing--and able--to bail you
out?

"If I ever needed cash in the middle of the
night--let's say $50,000 at 2 o'clock in the morning--I
have certain contacts I could use in an emergency," says Rand
Stagen, 28, founder and publisher of The Met magazine, a
Dallas publication that covers the local entertainment and
night-life scene. "Every entrepreneur needs at least one
[person they can go to in an emergency], because you never know.
What if your business is about to bounce payroll and you have no
traditional resources to go to?"

While you hope you'll never need to call anyone in the
middle of the night and ask for fast cash, how do you go about
establishing those kinds of relationships--just in case? Stagen
says there are three steps:

Be Proactive

"I am very focused on cultivating relationships that
aren't necessary for the short term, but might be necessary for
the long term," says Stagen. It's this approach to
networking that Stagen says is responsible for his success. In the
five years since starting his company at age 23, he's gone
through four rounds of financing. "It just took a lot more
money than I thought," he admits. But for each round, he was
able to tap into his network and find private investors willing to
pump in the cash required to get his publishing company off the
ground and grow it into a $2.5 million enterprise.

Keep In Touch

People help people they know very well. That's why Stagen
suggests one way to start building relationships with key contacts
is by sending them personal notes. "You hear it over and over
again, `Oh, it can't be that easy!' But writing a personal
note is simply the best networking tool I've used," he
contends.

What should you say in the note? Keep it simple, advises Stagen.
If you've met someone for the first time at a networking event,
for example, say something like: "I really appreciated meeting
you. I look forward to talking with you in the future." Short
notes are stepping-stones to long-term relationships with key
contacts.

Build on the relationship, Stagen says, by sending articles or
information that may interest key contacts. "This way,
you're cementing that there is a relationship there and that
you care about their success," he says. Over time, key people
in your network will grow to care about your
success--perhaps enough to help you in the middle of the night, if
need be.

Make Deposits

Want people to be there for you in a crisis? Then be there for
them today. For Stagen, this means doing favors for local nightclub
owners. "Guys will come up to me and say `Hey, Rand, I'm
starting a new club and I really need some contacts.' I give
them the names, and down the road, I may need something from
them," says Stagen.

In addition to passing along referrals, Stagen says, another way
to strengthen relationships is by entertaining. "One thing
that makes a great impression is to have a dinner party at your
home, which very few people do these days," he observes.
"What impacts those 2 a.m. relationships is doing something
unique--something that represents the kind of business you have or
the kind of person you are. [For example,] if you manufacture
widgets, you could host a dinner party at your [manufacturing]
facility or in your warehouse."

No entrepreneur is immune to crises. Protect your business dream
by building a strong network. That way, you gain peace of mind
knowing that, when tough times hit (and they will), you've got
people you can turn to for help.

Work It Out

So you're not a natural schmoozer? Then maybe it's time
you got in the mood before your next networking opportunity. Try
these books:

The Secrets of Savvy Networking:How to Make
the Best Connections for Business and Personal Success by Susan
Roane (Warner Books, $13.99, 800-759-0190)

Sean M. Lyden (seanlyden@mindspring.com) is
the principal and senior writer of The Professional Writing Firm
Inc., a Kennesaw, Georgia, company specializing in ghostwriting
articles on behalf of multimillion-dollar consulting and advisory
firms. Lyden writes frequently on motivation, management and
marketing issues.